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Abstract

This paper presents the design and performance characteristics of a cyclone separator used in smoked fish processing. The application of cyclone in smoked fish processing was intended to reduce contaminants such as char, ash, soot, and a fraction of tar with its polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compound in the smoked fish. These contaminants potentially decrease both product quality and safety of smoked fish. The cyclone used was designed according to high-efficiency Stairmand’s cyclone to separate solid particles from the smoke-air stream. A centrifugal blower of the cyclone, which was integrated with a heat exchanger, generated a forced smoke-air stream of the indirect smokehouse. The collection efficiency of the cyclone was 94.7%, which was higher than the prediction of 93.3%. Visual observation found that tar was trapped and sticky at the inside surface of the cyclone and the dust bin. The reduction of these contaminants contributed to the decrease of the PAH compound, which was indicated by low benzo (a) pyrene content (below the maximum level of Turkish food codex for 2.0 ?g/kg). The total pressure drop of the cyclone was 204 Pa, which was lower than the predicted value of 332 Pa. The ratio of energy consumed to pressure drop for the cyclone separator was 22.6 MJ/Pa.